Turning Point
by twerri02
Summary: Eric only had one plan and one intention - to save Pam. However, his intentions seem to change after meeting a certain brunette in Camp Burrell. Does he really want to leave? Starts in Season 6 Episode 5.
1. Camp Burrell

**CAMP BURRELL**

**_"There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action"_**

**- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe -**

Witches...werewolves...even fairies!

...but humans?

Fucking humans?

I suppose it just shows that you should never underestimate your inferiors. This is what I should've learnt through the past revolutions I had been through. The french should've taught me that.

At first I was impressed but now - now I was angry.

The plan made sense in the beginning - simply go in and get Pam out but I seemed to have underestimated the humans. Going through the halls, I was surprised with how many vampires were trapped and the extent to their experiments. None of which had made an attempt on retaliating or escaping.

My state of admiration and somewhat respect that was ignited, soon worn off when I felt the human's hand push me forwards. This was followed by his aggravating attempt at scaring me. "Get in there" he ordered and I bared my fangs at him, causing him to stumble back.

Regardless, I played along and entered. The door then closed behind me but the one before me slid up, revealing a large white circular room.

Down on the floor were four red x's marking the glossy white laminated flooring. All equally spaced and perfectly aligned from the silver air vent in the middle. The ceiling had a large opening and several circular openings - all too which were closed. White plaster walls were bordered with what I could safely presume would be pure silver but there was also a large screen. That meant that whatever was going to happen in this room would be observed.

It was a test - an experiment.

Very well.

I shall play your petty game, humans.

Apparently, I had opponents as the other doors slid up to reveal three other vampires. One dark haired girl with hardened features but fearful eyes. Two other males - one who had a look of confusion that fell into fear when he met my gaze. The other simply scanned his surroundings, growing apprehensive with each second that passed.

Flickering my eyes down onto the floors again, I put the pieces together and calmly walked towards one of the red crosses.

The other vampires took this as a sense of direction and mindlessly followed what I did.

We silently waited but this only lasted for a few seconds before one of the vents above opened, and three blue balls fell down, bouncing along the floor before settling down.

What game had they planned?

Taking lead once again, I slowly walked over to the ball nearest me and picked it up. In response to this, the girl rushed to one, warily glancing towards me and then to the two men who fought for the next one.

However, the last one was left without one and the humans showed the true intention when a guard appeared from above. A gun set in place as they fired a shot and the vampire at lost, crumpled onto the ground, immobilised with whatever bullets they used.

Mostly likely UV bullets.

Realisation hit me, crashing onto my rage, causing my fangs to extend on instinct and a growl to leave me. Frantic eyes searched above as we all came to terms with the idea of being presented by a competition.

Six openings - six guards. All with a perfect angle and were able to cover each inch of the room. They would all be able to catch us and leave us with no room to escape.

My observation was interrupted when they dropped the balls again and this time, I whipped out to catch one before it could hit the ground. The girl in pink already caught hers but the other male was too late. He ended up facing a similar fate of being crippled by the shot.

I turned back to my last opponent and almost felt sympathy.

There was no way that even she could defeat me but she still wore a mask of concentration and a challenging gaze.

We walked around to the crosses, now facing each other and I smirked, playfully, feeling the adrenaline rush through my veins, awakening my primal excitement.

The girl now faced the ceiling, waiting for the ball but didn't anticipate the two smaller doors to be opened, revealing a sniper of some kind. Most likely cartering the same bullets.

With ease and assurance, I blurred over and picked up the gun, setting it up in a split second.

She was down before she could even pull the trigger.

I stared at the screen, making sure that they knew, I knew they were there.

Well played humans...

* * *

Their frightened eyes darted towards the nonsensical number 1 on my new uniform. Apparently the

Usually, fear was something I indulged in but I was slowly losing patience with their cowering forms.

"Do any of you know of a vampire that goes by name Pamela Swynford De Beaufort?" I asked, not caring that the guards above us were listening into the conversation.

When I was met with no reply, I whipped out and grabbed the first vampire I could find.

He was a 3.

"Do y-"

Wonderful - he was crying.

Knowing that I got all I could from him, I released my grasp on him and pushed him away from me in disgust. When he collapsed on the floor, he gasped and clambered backwards, distancing himself.

"Does anyone know where my friend Pam is?" I growled, searching the room and only becoming more enraged when they too ran away from me.

Releasing a relenting sigh, I sat on the closest table that had been emptied by my presence.

I'm sure she was fine.

What could the humans do to Pam really?

The woman was tougher than nails and I'm sure she could take care of herself. She would hate to think that I was thinking of her as anything but strong.

Nonetheless, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of sick experiment they had her going through.

"Guards!" I called out to them and the two idiots stopped laughing. Their heartbeats increasing pace and their breaths hitched as they whipped around to me. The guns in their hands now pointed at me but I could detect the trembling hold they had on them. One growl and the guns would slip from their fingers. "I want to see my fr-"

"Females and males are separated" the braver one answered but his voice still wavered.

I was about to sit back down but whirled around at the sound of heels clacking along the metal.

My eyes were met with a blonde woman, dressed in a red suit and black heels. Her back was turned to me as she whispered to the guards. "We want Eric Northman" she said quietly but the voice already sounded familiar.

Rather than waiting for a reply, she spun back around and I caught a glimpse of her face. It was more than enough to tell me that it was the pastor's wife - the woman from the Fellowship of the Church.

A growl rumbled in my chest as I was assaulted with memories I had tried to discard.

She caught my feral eyes and had the audacity and smile and wave her fingers at me.

I will enjoy killing her.

My thoughts were distracted by the sound of the small elevator arriving and opening up for me. "Eric Northman, Number 1" the guard called out to me and pointed the gun, gesturing towards the elevator.

I forced a smile and calmly walked into the elevator. My eyes fell onto the vampires warily staring at me as they moved back to the seats they had abandoned.

At that point, I did not care.

Perhaps, I would find Pam quicker than I thought.

* * *

I was taken into another white room. However, this time were no crosses - no markings. Instead, it was a simple flooring with fluorescent lighting but it was enough to weaken me by a fraction.

After having no sleep and feeling the warmth of the sun beat against the thin layer of material, the bleeds had already began.

Now, I was left frustrated, angry and tired.

Not a good combination.

Nonetheless, I would not let them think I was weak and I knew that I could easily finish whatever challenge they had prepared for me.

"The Governor" an unfamiliar voice introduced, lightening my mood.

I whirled my head around to the glass wall, wishing I could stare into his eyes and watch him quake in his boots. "Ooh, the governor" I smiled half-heartedly. "How nice to hear from you again" I taunted, knowing that it would aggravate him further to not have me frightened.

Maybe we would be released closer than I thought.

"My daughter is back" he stated in a tightened tone. "Know anything about that" he spat.

"Hmmm..." I patted my cheek coyly but stopped. My eyes now glared at the glass once again as I said. "Erm, fuck you"

"No no - fuck you" he argued with a weak and pathetic, wavering human voice. "Fuck you for killing my angel and making me bring her here with the likes of you"

My amusement was short-lived as I was hit with shock. "You brought her here - into this camp" I gritted through clenched teeth.

He laughed over the line. "What'd you think? That I'd magically give up all my hard work and set you bloodsuckers free?" he chuckled again but it was dry and forced.

"You're own daughter?" I gasped, clenching my fists and pressing them to my sides as I fought off the urge to punch through the glass and pull him out.

And they called us monsters?

Well yes, we were...but they were still hypocrites.

"Now, cue the stake" the all too familiar, sickeningly sweet voice of the pastor's wife called over the line.

I shrugged my off my rage and followed the sound. Another small door was opened to reveal a stake. Unlike the usual, this one was longer and thinner but would do perfectly fine. "Very well governor" I relented and walked over to pick it up. "Give me someone to kill" I waved the stake around but settled on pointing it at the screen again.

"I'm sure you'll like this one" she spoke again, "Cue the blonde" she added and I frowned at the words.

Just as I feared, the doors opened to reveal...Pam.

The irony of this moment.

"Go on Pam, show me just how little he means to you" another unfamiliar gruff voice said.

I stared at my progeny, my child.

She too had the bleeds, though hers were worse and the blood was caked in her hair. Something that she was probably hating. However, I knew that she would be hating the fact that she was dressed in the same clothes as yesterday.

Her face was expressionless and her eyes were blank, making it difficult to know what she was thinking.

I knew what they were doing.

The governor hoped to take away my daughter as revenge for taking his away.

"Ain't you seen gladiator? Fucking fight" she growled over the line with a chain desperation tainting her tone.

Pam finally disregarded the mask and revealed a coldness and eyes that silently burned. Her posture grew rigid and her shoulders were now taut as she pursed her lips.

I gripped my stake, washing as she had matched my movement. I then twirled it around my fingers and discreetly looked up in search of any openings that would count as a threat.

Thankfully, I found none.

We were both in the air now, a foot from the ground and our eyes were locked onto each others. Our hands now raised with the stakes firmly in our hands.

Understanding in her once frosty stare and without warning, we threw our stakes. Both cut through the tension and flew, faster than any bullet as they cracked through the screen.

The audacity to think that. Would ever hurt my progeny or she would try to kill me?

After hearing the governor's confession, I realised that maybe a vampire's relationship with their progeny is deeper and stronger than any human feelings they share.

Just to think that he had given up his daughter?

Two groans came from the other side of the glass and I smiled, hoping that it was the governor...or the pastor's wife. Or maybe both.

Before I could help it, guards emerged and pulled Pam away. However, we had enough time to send each other another silent message.

A small nod of assurance was enough for her to understand.

When the door closed after her, I calmly strode over to the glass and looked through the hole.

More riddles were answered as I looked at the spineless creature and disgrace to our kind, that was an old acquaintance. I should've known he would have known about this.

"I see you Steve Newlin" I whispered, my lips curling into a wicked smile. When he cowered with a whimper, I scoffed but silently promised that once I was freed, Steve Newlin would never see past these walls again.

With that being decided, I then walked around the room, calmly pacing as I glanced towards the glass. "Disappointed governor?" I teased.

Any other taunting words were silenced as all I could manage was a growl when. Felt the hot, searing pain of a UV bullet sinking into my flesh and probably hitting my lung.

A guttural growl left me as I gashed my teeth and hissed at the next shot fired. This time, it hit my left knee, causing me to buckle over and bend onto the hard ground.

"Wait" the governor's voice came from the intercom, surprising me further when he added. "Stop. Not yet"

Now, that was his first mistake.

**A/N: Would you like me to continue? **

**If yes, we have Bella coming in the next chapter. **

**Question: Do you not think Season 6 would be better if Godric had been involved?**


	2. Dr Swan

**DR. SWAN**

**_"The best way out is always through."_**

**- Robert Frost -**

**A/N: THANK YOU all for your wonderful reviews. I really did not expect that much of a great response to this story. Really excited to share this with you so I hope you enjoy this update.**

"Here we are" one of the guards announced and I shrugged them off, bracing myself by resting one hand on the wall before me. I felt one of their hands slip under my arm so they could scan their prints and push it open for me. As a result, I stumbled into the room and my knees finally buckled causing me to collapse onto the cold white linoleum floor.

I was not too pride to admit that all six bullets struck in my skin were burning holes within my central nervous system. It felt like each vein was being ignited by a sweltering scorch, leaving my whole body singed while I tried to fight off the anguish.

"Jesus"

The soft chime cut through the mind-numbing pain and I squinted from the awaited darkness, allowing my vision to break through as I sought out who was in the room with me.

"I can take it from here" the female voice spoke again.

I didn't have to strain myself because I felt gentle hands wrap around my form and pull me up – well, try to anyway. As amusing as the attempts were, I decided to try and help her by offering to push myself up.

However, I was momentarily distracted by the overwhelming surrounding scent of sweet strawberries and freesias. This surprised me because I usually noticed a human's blood before…but now that I mention it, hers was sweet, distinctively tangy and almost as alluring as faeries, but still very close.

In fact, I almost lost it when I felt her rapid pulse when she embraced me. Her warmth now wrapped around me as her fragile arms were holding me up and leading me towards something.

"Just close the door" the unknown woman demanded with a hardened and stern tone which was then followed with the echoed click of the metal door being shut, leaving the two of us alone. "I haven't got vampire strength but I'd appreciate for you to use yours" she said and I actually managed a small smile at the sound of her strained voice. "All you go gotta do is lay down on this table" she directed and exerted more force to push me down onto some kind of make-shift bed.

Once I was laid down, I stretched myself out but an involuntary groan left me. "Horunge!" **(Son of a bitch!)** I growled, fisting the side of the thin fabric of my trousers.

"No need to swear" she scolded and I snapped my eyes open to finally stare at her.

Well wow…

The human was actually – well, pretty.

Her pearl complexion was fair-skinned and greatly contrasted with the long mahogany waves that framed her heart-shaped face. Her full pink lips were slightly out of proportion but in an alluring manner. She had large chocolate doe-like eyes and I noticed how her thick black lashes caressed her defined cheekbones when she blinked. What I could easily presume was a slender figure was unfortunately hidden behind the long white doctor's coat.

She was young but her dark eyes held a warmth of wisdom which made me assume that she was probably in her early twenties.

My assessment had momentarily distracted me but I was broken from the trance when I heard a resounding tear. The sound had me flickering my gaze at her fingers which were now ripping my shirt. "What are you doing?" I grimaced but calmed down when her warm caresses soothed my chest.

"I'm going to take the bullets out so I need you to stay perfectly still" she informed me and then walked aside and I craned my head to the side, watching how hurried her movements were.

I wondered why she cared so much – better yet, why she cared at all.

"No problem" I mumbled and shifted on the bed, trying to make myself comfortable but that only made me hiss in pain.

Her fluid movements grew rapid as hysterical. "Okay - j-just give me a second" she pleaded and then whirled around, racing back towards me with a silver platter in her hands.

"So you're a doctor?" I asked with an amused smirk.

She braced her hands onto my shoulders and then pressed me back down onto the bed. "No one else wanted to look after the vampires" she stated, slipping her hands into latex gloves.

"And you voluntarily offered?" I scoffed.

She nodded and then moved forwards to look down at me and nod. "Yes"

"Why?" I questioned, narrowed my eyes at her while trying to remain perfectly still. Sadly, this was deemed impossible when I squirmed away as I felt her fingers dig into my skin, seeking out one of the bullets.

She ignored my pain and continued on with her work. "I'm more interested in why you voluntarily offered yourself to come here" she muttered but her attempt at being calm was undermined with her heavy breathing when she felt me shiver as her fingers found the bullet but it moved again, burning more of my muscles.

"H-how do you know I wasn't captured?" I stammered and dug my fingers on the side of the bed and clenched my jaw.

I was then surprised by her low chuckle, "I doubt that a vampire of over 1,000 years would have been caught" she retorted and I was taken back with her answer that suggested she knew more about me than anticipated.

"Stay still" she pleaded and I easily obeyed.

I was not about to start antagonising the only person willing to actually help me. Maybe I wouldn't kill her…and if I did, I would make it quick.

In the midst of my silent deliberation, I felt something heated dabbed onto my skin. The strange sensation had me writhing again but I quickly stopped when her palm hit my bare shoulder. "Stop moving!" she exclaimed with an angered edge to her voice.

"Did you just slap me?" I chided.

Something cold prodded into me again and then I heard a clink. "Only because you were being a baby" she smiled down at me and somehow the sight had me mirroring her expression.

"How else am I supposed to react when I've been shot?" I retorted.

She laughed quietly again and then moved out from my line of sight, getting back to the task at hand. "Six wounds" she whispered and I squirmed, only this time it was the feel of her heated breath caress my bare chest. "Obviously you're stronger than the rest. It must take a lot to keep you down" she added and I smiled smugly.

For a while, a comfortable silence prevailed and all that could be heard in the small white room was the low clink of a bullet being placed onto the metal platter.

However, the vampire doctor decided to break the silence. "So what did you do to piss them off?" she asked with a more even breathing. Even her heartbeat had slowed down to a more relaxed state.

"I turned the Governor's daughter" I revealed, wondering what her reaction to be; fear…anger…anxiety…

"WHAT?"

Shock it is…

Having five bullets being removed made it easier of me to bring myself up. "Willa's a vampire" I repeated, locking gazes with her so I could find some amusement in her reaction.

Her hands slipped down from me and she stumbled back with a hand onto her chest. "H-how- Wh-Where is she?" she stuttered and I watched as several emotions crossed her features but nothing truly settling.

"Why do you care?" I pondered over the unnerving emotion that I felt at her glassy eyes.

She gripped the counter behind her and then forced herself to look back up to me. "Is she okay?" she questioned and a prominent part of me didn't want to elaborate on an answer. "Wait-"something dawned onto her and she took a confident step towards me. "He didn't bring her here, did he?" she whispered.

"It seems that we both underestimate the governor" I replied and reached down to try and take out the last bullet wedged into my ribcage. However, I hastily withdrew my fingers when the burn became too much.

My doctor was obviously long gone because her mind had trailed off as she rambled quietly to herself. "What will it take?" she stumbled back to the wall and leaned back to rest her head onto it. Her heartbeat finally began to race and her fingers tremble which annoyed me.

Of course this was what scared her…

"This was not the Truman's work"

Her tone suddenly changed to a hard-edged certainty which then piqued my interest. "How can you be so sure?" I quizzed, arching an eyebrow.

"This has that she-devil written all over it" she growled, her brown eyes diverted to the door and her hands now coiled into tight fists.

I leaned back and tried to appease myself but felt my muscles tense with the movement. "Ah yes, I'm still yet to have the pleasure of meeting…"

"Sarah" she said.

"Hmm…"

The sound snapped her out of her trance and she shook her head with shame – something unexpected. "Sorry" she apologised and moved back to finish off the rest of her work. Her touch was less tender as she used her fingers and her actions were rushed.

Nonetheless, I was still thankful.

"How is that?" she asked and trapped her bottom lip between her teeth. A simple innocent gesture and I wondered whether she knew just how tempting she was at that moment.

At that second, I was not ashamed to admit that I found her captivating.

I may be a vampire but I was still man.

Throwing my legs over to the side, I stretched and found satisfaction at her taking notice of my half-naked state. "Better" I smirked at her, letting her know she'd been caught. For some reason, I was more pleased to know that she found me attractive.

"It will take a while to heal…" she warned.

I hitched an eyebrow and trying t0 ignite some fear in her. "Unless I feed?"

"They are supposed to be a True Blood round very soon" she gulped nervously and picked up the plate with the bullets before walking towards the counter and I watched, surprised to find her washing them off rather than disposing them.

"True Blood" I sneered and shook my head at the irony.

She spun around and walked towards me, a smile playing against her lips. "At this point I don't think you get to be choosy" she wagged her finger at me and I whipped out to grab her hand and pull her close to me. My eyes intentionally raking over her full form and making quick work of undoing the buttons of her coat thus revealing a very simple grey dress. Though it was conservative, it accentuated her sensual curves and her breasts.

Underneath, I looked down at her card;

**Dr. Swan**

**DEPT.: Heath Care**

**NUMBER: 0/93**

Whipping my eyes back to her, I watched as her own darkened to a coffee brown and an obvious lust hooded them. A shiver ran down her spine and her breath hitched but all of it was not derived from the emotion I had intended on.

"You're not scared of me" I mused and watched her eyebrows knit in confusion.

Understanding finally overcame her. "No" she shook her head with great certainty and stepped away from me, picking up her clipboard on her way. "Not really" she amended and ducked her head causing her long tresses to curtain her face.

"Why are you here?"

The doctor blinked and stopped, turning back to me in surprise and with a perplexed expression. "What?" she gasped and I smiled at how flushed her cheeks were. This was soon wiped away when she bit her lip again and grew nervous under my fixated stare.

"You obviously don't agree with all this-" I mused with a hint of hope in my voice.

Dr. Swan quickly interjected, "I don't" she agreed and her eyes widened by a small fraction permitting me to read into the sincere honesty within them.

"Then why are you here?" I prodded, noticing how she seemed to be avoiding a chance to answer.

Again, she remained vague and looked away from me. "I have my reasons" she murmured and set the clipboard down, now pretending to be stowing away the different instruments she had used. Her sleeves now rolled up so she wouldn't mess them up.

"Name one" I snapped, losing my patience with her.

She dropped what she was holding and pivoted back to me. "This so-called camp is a complete abomination!" she exclaimed, surprising me by the tigress within her emerging. "They're all blinded by their fear and refuse to see it any other way" she rambled angrily.

"You seem so self-assured…" I jeered, raising another brow.

Her steps were hurried but froze to stop a foot away from me. "I met one" she revealed and a soft gentle smile tugged up her lips and her burning gaze held her excitement but I was distracted once again.

I took another glance at what I had seen and in order to confirm it, I reached out and grabbed her arm once again to study the crescent mark. "Clearly" I mumbled, studying it and trying to fight off my disgust. "Care to explain?" I gritted in disdain as different scenarios were formed.

Cold Ones…

I hoped that she didn't think that they were vampires.

How did she get the scar anyway? An attack? A willing feed?

More importantly…how did she survive? How was she still here and still human at that?

"I…" her voice broke and no more words left her.

That didn't seem to matter when the door was opened and I was aggravated by the peripheral sight of the guard interrupting us. "Number 1 needs to be back in the cell" he said.

Dr. Swan was obviously pleased with the distraction as she had pulled away from me and was now rolling her sleeves down. "Of course" she gulped and ran her hands down her dress to smooth down the non-existent wrinkled. "We're done anyway" she bowed her head and pushed a stray lock behind her ear.

I took a step towards the exit but paused, glanced back to the woman who had helped me. "Eric Northman" I called back to her while the guard had his back to us, engaged in conversation with another one.

"I know" she whispered with a small smile.

What was it about her…?

Chancing another glance at the door, I moved back towards her and placed a finger under her chin, tilting her head up so I could look at her. "I suppose a thank you is in order" I smirked.

"You are welcome" she smiled and removed herself from my touch but kept her stare on mine.

"Goodbye, Dr. Swan" I huskily whispered, liking how her breath was caught once again and her heartbeat picked up, very similarly to before.

She didn't get a chance to reply as the other humans made themselves known. "Come on" the guards roughly grabbed my shoulders and began to pull me out of the room.

My eyes remained focused onto her, watching as she whirled around to watch me being dragged away. Suddenly, she began to stumble over to the doorway and I waited for her to say a goodbye but certainly did not expect the words that were to leave her.

"I was talking about Godric"

**A/N: Again, thank you for your great comments as response to this story. Really hope that you enjoy this one too. I had fun building up on their beginning chemistry…how did I do?**

**Question: Any ideas on how Bella and Godric are connected? **

**Do you still want me to continue?**


	3. First Test

**FIRST TEST**

**"Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."  
- Gilda Radner**

**A/N: MUCHAS GRACIAS amigos or as Eric would say – 'Tack så mycket'. Your reviews have been amazing and it makes me feel guilty for having kept you waiting. Please enjoy this update and know that I won't give up on the story. **

We had been given the chance to sleep but I couldn't find the peace. It was not because of the small confinement and how it was closely similar to a mortuary, rather than my red velvet comfortably padded coffin. Instead, I had laid down on the cold metal, simply staring at the surrounding darkness and remained silent and thoughtful.

Godric?

She said she knew Godric?

How?

She was human - that I was sure of which made me question why Godric would make time for a human. Then again, the maker that I knew was different to the one that had stood on the roof and told me that he wanted to kill himself.

Somehow, that still didn't explain how she knew Godric.

After many. many years on this earth, I had learnt to read people and I could easily identify when someone was lying. However, with her I was left feeling doubtful so I knew that I needed to talk to her again. It was then I realised that I actually wanted to talk to her.

What did that mean?

"Wakey wakey" The annoyed grating sound of a nearby human made me realise a shaky sigh. The voice was followed with rattling of cages and I decided it was time to leave the dark cubicle.

Bracing my hands on either side, I pushed myself out and stepped down to the hot white lights. My mood was once again tarnished at the sight of the surrounding metal cages. It worsened further with how it was slowly being filled with the other cellmates.

Just as I was about to sit and think over another plan, the guard stepped closer. "Numbers 4 and 3" he called out and I snapped my head up to glare at the petty human, cowering behind a rifle. He locked his eyes with mine and nodded, as if silently calling me over.

From my peripheral vision, I caught how the ones with a number three began to walk up the staircase towards the guard. They lined up waiting for the caged door to be opened. My eyes perused the rest of the crowd and I realised I was the only four in the group.

Sighing heavily, I decided that I would need the distraction of playing their little game and following after them.

Maybe I would see the governor soon. Even better, maybe I would escape whatever they had planned and go demand answers from Dr. Swan. Of course, I could have easily escaped now but this was a…cleaner manner of doing it.

Plastering on a falsified smile, I followed after the three's and waited behind them. The guard seemed proud of my compliance so they allowed the gate to be pulled up and for the vampires to slowly file out.

I rolled my eyes at the vampires who shrunk in fear of the humans pointing their guns. However, when one lifted their rifle and pointed it towards me, I bared my fangs, intimidating him and causing him to stumble back onto another. Both of them now trembling as they fought to try and not drop their quivering hands.

"Number 4" I snapped my head up to the guard who gestured towards one of the rooms. "In here" he directed and I pushed past the rest, calmly walking over to him but snarling at the idea of having to obey their kind's demand.

Once I was sure my anger was in check, I slipped inside. My gaze now trailed up to see one other guard standing at the end of the room. A few feet away from him, stood an old quivering human in a white lab coat – another 'doctor?'

Like the others, this one was in the right mind to be frightful. As I stepped inside, he seemed to shrink further into his coat, visibly trembling when my darkened glare landed on him. "What do you want?" I growled, not caring that the rage was no longer tamed.

"W-we want to t-te-test your speed?" he stammered and took an involuntarily stepped back. "Compare it to the other v-vampires?" he stuttered, phrasing the words into a question. He then stepped over to the small white table and gestured towards the wires. "Can you place these on your chest?" he inquired, nervously reaching up with shuddered fingers to push his thick rimmed glasses up his nose. Suddenly his eyes fell away from me and onto something behind my shoulder. "Dr. Swan…?" he gasped in surprise.

I spun around, a little too quickly at the sound of the title and name that had been spiralling in my thoughts all night.

Those brown eyes that I hadn't been able to ignore flickered to me briefly and then back to the 'doctor' "I just wanted to see if you needed any help" she announced and I smiled.

"Well, well, well…" I drawled out, my eyes roaming over the tight black fitting skirt and white ruffled shirt under the heavy lab coat.

She clasped the clipboard over her chest as her cheeks flushed again. "Dr. Swan" she informed me and I realised that she wanted to keep yesterday a secret so I nodded silently.

"I'm fine, Isabella" the other man snapped with an angered tone that aggravated me.

Isabella?

_Vackert namn för en vacker flicka. _

The sudden and fleeting thought had me grimacing.

How? And why?

The questions remained unanswered as I tried to distract myself with the doctor behind me, calling me again. "Number 4?"

I turned back and once again, glowered menacingly at him. "What?" I snarled and he yelped, dropping his pen in the process.

As a result, one gun was now pointed at me and was surprised further when Dr – well, Isabella, flashed before me. "Don't" she cautioned but I was momentarily distracted with the body heat radiating off from her. It almost overwhelmed the delicious scent of her sweetened blood thickening the atmosphere.

She then realised how several surprised gazes were on her so she bent down and picked up the pen from the floor. Then, she walked over to the other human and handed it to him. In the process, they exchanged a few words but I ignored this as I knew I needed to talk to her. Privately.

The only way to do that was to get rid of the other bystanders in the room.

That again was disrupted with Isabella spinning around to face me. Gone was the blushing fumbling human as she played off an air of confidence when she placed her hands on her hips. "Number 4, could you take your shirt off please" she demanded but in a soft genteel voice.

I arched an eyebrow but complied, languidly pacing over to her. Just as I reached over to accept the wires, she stopped me by taking one and attaching a small white patch before reaching up to place it on my chest. Her fingers smoothed over the cold plastic while her eyes flickered up to me. Our locked gazes had her breath hitching and my lips parting as my eyebrows knitted together with the strange and unfamiliar emotion that arose. I could only amount it to attraction.

"Could you step up on the treadmill?" she breathed in a barely audible whisper before stepping back tentatively.

"Of course" I replied, teasing her with another casual grin. After breaking the stare, I stepped up on the silly contraption that served no real purpose with vampires. I mentally laughed at the absurdity of standing on a treadmill.

Then, I watched as Isabella's hand emerged as her fingers began to tap at the controls. She briefly glanced up at me and back down to start the machine. When it began to move, I kept up with the pace with great ease. Isabella must've caught that because she inserted something else, speeding it up but once again, I kept up with the pace. This continued on for a few minutes and I exhaled in boredom.

"No change" Isabella moved back and fell into her professional mode. Her expression now stern and her darkened gaze studied the machine. "Heart rate is steady" she added and then followed it with a few numbers which were being jotted down by the other one. Just to test me again, she sped it up but each stride felt as the last. "Temperature is constant" Isabella muttered and tried accelerating again. Still, I wanted to roll my eyes at the study. "No energy exertion" she observed and once again, her eyes found mine. This time, I noticed the unexpected sympathy in her gaze, wondering why a person like her was working for people in here.

Maybe I didn't know her; maybe she was as deceiving as the others and I didn't know her.

"Okay, that's fine" the other one made himself known, stepping closer to us as if he had been a part of the experiment. He hesitantly switched off the device and somehow, grew his balls back as he held up his hand and confidently called out, "Guards!"

Within seconds, three guards had stepped in, armed and ready, making Isabella jump. "Could you please help me escort E-" she caught herself before slipping up. "…number four to the examination room" she corrected herself.

"Why?" the other doctor speculated, narrowing his gaze and I fought back a growl.

Dr. Swan was back and now crossing her arms defensively. "The governor wants reports" she quipped with dark steely eyes and this was enough for the doctor to cowardly stumble back.

"Certainly" one of the guards piped up and I caught how he shamelessly leered at her.

Thankfully Isabella had her attention elsewhere and I was both pleased and frustrated by this. Especially when she closed the distance and languidly looked up to me, "Follow me" she whispered and began to lead the way.

…and I followed her.

**A/N: Short filler chapter but more in the next 0ne. **

**Question: What do you think about Eric's conflicting emotions? What about Bella's inability to hide her feelings? Ready for them to talk again? **


End file.
